Full penetration weld in 5 mm marine plate, with limited visible deformation.

When it comes to laser welding, many people think mainly of thin sheet metal. At Elektrolas, however, we increasingly receive inquiries about other applications and greater material thicknesses, including from the shipbuilding industry.

Last Friday, we carried out an initial test:
- 5 mm shipbuilding steel plate
- Square butt joint, without a gap
- 1.6 mm filler wire
- 2,000-watt laser welding source
- Welded from one side using a cobot

The result is promising: a clean weld with visible full penetration through the entire plate thickness.

For this customer, weld quality is not the only important factor. There are also requirements regarding the flatness of the plate. Thanks to the focused and limited heat input, we observed little visible distortion during this initial test.

If this result proves reproducible under production conditions, it could offer advantages in terms of welding speed, post-processing and the amount of straightening required. The next step is to further investigate the process window, tolerances, weld quality, and technical and economic feasibility.

This is where we at Elektrolas Lastechniek BV believe real collaboration begins. Rather than starting with a machine or welding process, we start with the customer's challenge. Together, we then test which technology can deliver the best result.

Do you have a production or welding challenge involving quality, distortion, speed or the availability of skilled welders? Feel free to bring it to us. We would be happy to explore the possibilities together.